Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-01-27
Dicks look vas enough to curdle your

y
and blood, and your fathers curse and
mine too
"'Hold, there cried young Jim, hit
ting Dick on the mouth TO stop his
curses (they was afraid of curses there),
hold, there. She never knew
Sand he poured it all out as how it hap
pened and as how he was always think
ing on Nancy, and SO giV'd up the coast
guardsing, part on her account and part
on his fathers. But afore he had ended
Dick were, and Nancy was all on heap
with nought to say-but her look cut up
young jim, and no mistake. / won't say
but that he deserved it-for he'd been
double with her-through love on her, no
doubt, but it's alIays best to be straight,
and so he felt too late, and that had he
spoke truth when he told his love he could
ha lost her once, and now he had lost her
twice, and the losing on her res pect were
worse nor the losing she.
'.She were q wonderful power of q
woman for all as was IN her, and she'd had
little love except for Joe, and ne was dead.
So she said to Jim she torgaye him, but it
were all to an end between they; she'd
| love he all the days, but she couldn't wed
her brothers murderer. That we're all.
"Wel, the next on it was that when
they found as she'd given he up they be-
lieved she had naught to say to it, and
was kind to her agin, as kind as they
ever was, and that warn't much; but she
was unaisy, and knew them too we'll to
think as they 'ud let Jim Kemp be. Why
ever Dick hadn't killed him there and
then she could not tell But one she
were to bed, and she heard some IN come
into the room next; her room were but
lean to, and they slept in the big room.
And she heard deal of whispering and
then they took to drinking and their
voices gets louder and louder, and she
hears Kemp's name, and the night after
next named, and back from Weyhil Fair,
and a-night his gate, and ten on US, and
and the rest will be there to morrow, we
four and they six, that's ten And then
they gets noisier, and Dick, who always
kept his head, hushed some one on 'em
up, and turned him out into the shed,
and all was still. Nancy knew now what
was brewing. But how to get at Jim?
how to advertise he? He would be off to
Weyhille long afore she copld get to he,
and she couldn't get out without going
through the room with Dick in it, or
through the window into the shed with
the stranger there. Not that they was
strangers. for she know'd their voices;
they was of the Portsmouth crew.
"What should she do? how should she
save her lover? for he was her lover, and
she know'd it. She know'd that though
she could never wed with he, she could
never love another. Mayhap there was
| som'at strange in her manners, for all she
made as though she was cheerful like, or
may be it were from his own knowing
what was coming; anyhow Dick looked
| sharply after Nance all next day, and the
day after that, too. 1t were a hot, dry
summer, aud the days were long, and
| there was a full moon that
night, and no doubt that was the
more convenient; not but what tbs
| Dedmans could make their way blindfold
ed anywhere over the country round, and
all their crew.
"Dick went off somewhere to seven, and
said, careless ike, as Nancy had best not
wait, for he and the old man had business
| away, and would not be back till very
late mayhap, mayhap earlier. Nance
waited till he was gone, then she took her
aint and steel and fastened the door,
and went to the shed and took the nag
they had only left the old mare; she
didna' wait to bride she, but off she went
as fast as the wind for Holder Hill, over
to the sou'west from here, and she rode
and rode and went up the hill, up to the
Beacon point, and there was the bonfire
| all laid ready, as dry as finder, and she
| struck and struck, and the third time she
| got fame, and soon the beacon was
| burning and no mistake; and she rode
| toward Breakdown until the poor beast
could go no longer, SO she got Off and
let her go. And Nance walked and walk
| ed, until all on a sudden the light sprung
| up on Breakdown, and she knew as sure
| as if she saw him that her trap had taken,
that Jim had seen the fire on Holder, and
instead of going home had tarned off to
| light up Breakdown.
| at was the war time you see; any he
were keen for the cause, and was the
first once before to help light the signal.
And she hurried on and came up to he,
and he turned round and cried: why,
| Nancy, love! is it your And she,
she were out of breath and could scarce
speak; but she knew as sure as fate her
brother would come after their prey,
| You see they had worked so long together
these Dedman's one seemed to guess the
Others thoughts like; and she knew as
when the time went by, and Jim did not
come home, and they saw thelight on
Holder Hill and sudden the light on Black
down, tney WouiQ guess dB now IL were
Nancy, or maybe think Jim was there
| instead of coming homo. However it be
she felt they would foller up there, SO she
cried, Fly, Jim! fly! as quick as you can,
down that way. No! not home! Be of,
be off! away as far as you can GO Take
your horse and go! They're after ye, to
murder ye, and I lit the fire on Holder
to turn you from going home. They be
waiting for you and low maybe they'll
be following you up here. Give me your
coat and hat Jim-see, I've none. I'm
cold. And go Jim-go; | can't go with
you Jim. And the stupid, thick headed
fellow as he was, he took off his long rid
ing coat and puts them on her, and takes
her in his arms, and she Civ s him one
kiss and sends him off. He steals down
as quiet as mouse, untethers his nag
and off he goes Lonoon way. And
Nance? She stood with her arms folded,
her face to the fire and her back to the
path, so as her figure is seen up against
, the flames so that her figure it seen in
! an uncertain kind of way. She was as
tall as young Kemp; and she waited there